E-SUV vs. gasoline SUV: Thanks to the environmental bonus and better equipment, the VW ID.4 is cheaper than its brand brother Tiguan

The ID.4 more than makes up for the Tiguan's initial price advantage with its government subsidy and better basic equipment.
The ID.4 is also more powerful and offers more space. In return, the Tiguan's interior feels more solid.
Those who can cope with the limited range could be quite happy with the entry-level ID.4.
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After Volkswagen added the lowest-priced ID.3 to its configurator at the end of January, it followed up with the ID.4 Pure Performance, the entry-level version of its new electric SUV, in early February. The price list of the high-legged platform brother starts at 38,450 euros. If you subtract the currently available government subsidy of 9,000 euros from that, you end up with 29,450 euros. The similarly sized Tiguan costs 28,935 euros in the bare base version, just 515 euros less than its electric counterpart.

The ID.4 has some advantages

If you now compare the equipment lists of the two base models, you quickly notice that the slightly more expensive ID.4 is by and large the better deal. The electric car comes with LED headlights, parking beepers, distance control with traffic sign recognition (ACC), and a fully digital cockpit as standard. These are all features that add up to a surcharge of over 2,000 euros for the Tiguan. Admittedly, the quality and material feel of the latter is somewhat higher-quality.

In terms of engine power, the ID.4 Pure has a slight edge. Its e-unit produces 170 hp and 310 Newton meters of torque, while the Tiguan's 1.5-liter base gasoline engine provides 130 hp and 220 Newton meters. The e-car sprints to 100 km/h in a smooth nine seconds, while the Tiguan takes 10.9 seconds for this discipline. However, the Tiguan only stops at 195 km/h, while the ID.4's software already shows it its limits at 160 km/h. The Tiguan is the best performer in terms of space.

The electric newcomer leads in terms of space. At 4.58 meters, it is just under seven centimeters longer than the established SUV with a gasoline engine and, at 543 liters, offers around 23 liters more trunk space. The elimination of the combustion engine and the basic architecture, which is consistently tailored to the e-drive, results in a significantly airier feeling of space in the interior of the ID.4 and more legroom in the second row. So anyone who can cope with the WLTP range of 343 kilometers and charge at home or at work will get a good overall package even with the most affordable ID.4. Last but not least, it saves on maintenance and servicing costs. This could convince many a die-hard VW driver to switch to the new E-SUV.

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